Looking for a clean, inexpensive place to stay somewhere between the castle and Bonn, preferably in small town where we could sample local wines?? Is there such a place? I was using Michelin Travel and not having much luck. Would like personal favorites. THank you for your help.

check Bavaria Ben's website
www.bensbauernhof.com

Thanks bigtyke, I actually did check Ben's but the ones I found were southeast and we are headed towards the Netherlands the next day. Do you know if there is a way to get in touch with Ben?

Check out the Ahr valley. Ahrweiler, for example.

can´t beat the location of this great place for burg eltz! it was closed this winter so i was unable to take my mom and friends there as i had hoped.

lucky you. i enjoyed it several years ago on a solo trip before internet! just was lucky to find it as i was driving around.

they have a good restaurant, and the breakfast was the typical variety, and abundant.

they also board horses on the property. lovely family.

http://www.landhausneuhof.de/

i had no reservations on my trip and took side roads AWAY from the river every afternoon and drove (sometimes deeply)into the countryside and had no problems in may.

enjoy.

Thank you both for your help. Both places sound really good. I like the thought of the Ahr valley as I am a red wine fan. Do you think we could just take a chance and find something when we get there? We will be there 23 May. Most of the websites I found are in German and I am not that fluent, so am having a little bit of a hard time. Arhweiler sounds more appealing to me.

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I'll be in adjacent Bad Neuenahr next week for a couple of days. I'll report afterwards. Please top this thread after Easter to remind me...

Tourist office Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler: http://www.ahrtaltourismus.de/en/index.php (in English)
Here's another website that has got an English version (click on the flag): http://www.ahrweiler.city-map.de/

On a weekday in May I think you should be able to find a place to stay without a reservation. If you don't want to take the risk, contact the tourist office (see first link).

Quokka, you back yet? Anxiously awaiting your response.

"a clean, inexpensive place to stay somewhere between the castle and Bonn."

Well it is not exactly between, but Braubach is pretty close, just up the river from Koblenz.

I had lunch at Weinhaus Wieghart, www.weinhaus-wieghart.de. Seemed like a nice, homey place, and they have rooms. Not sure about sampling wines, but it is a "Weinhaus".

I'm back! I'll pop in again tonight, as writing the report will take me a while.

All right, so here comes...

Quokka's Ahr Valley Trip Report

The Ahr valley, total length 35 km, is a small wine region, hardly known among visitors from overseas but in parts as romantic as the Mosel. Upstream to the West the valley gets narrower and narrower, the hills ans vineyards are amazingly steep. Stay somewhere in the Western half between Altenahr and Bad Neuenahr, that's the prettiest part.

We (i.e. 87yo Grandma, parents in their sixties, and me, 41) based ourselves in Bad Neuenahr, which is a rather posh spa town. We stayed at this hotel: http://www.hotel-krupp.de/, situated in the town centre. Quite good, 3 star superior (can't tell about prices, Grandma paid), good food and convenient location. Hardly any guests younger than 65, though.
The spa in Bad Neuenahr is really nice for swimming and relaxing.
In general, the place has the appearance of a late 19th/early 20th century spa.
Bad Neuenahr is the home of Apollinaris table water, by the way.

If you want more old-town feeling, Ahrweiler is the place to go. A charming little town.

Or one of the wine villages further West, I'd suggest Mayschoss or Dernau.

Altenahr is a little old town in the narrowest, rockiest part of the valley. The steep rocks with the castle ruin on top are quite amazing.

Ahr wines: 80% reds - while on the Rhine and Mosel they are growing mostly whites, the typical Ahr wine is a fruity red Spätburgunder (pinot noir).
All towns and villages are full of wineries and restaurants where these wines can be sampled.
Best wine pub in Bad Neuenahr: Alte Remise (Telegrafenstraße).

There is a hiking trail along the whole valley through the vineyards above the villages, named the "Rotweinwanderweg" (red wine trail). I'd recommend at least a short walk on that trail to get an impression of the landscape.

Thank you so much for your great review!!! Sounds like just the kind of place I'm looking for. I'm starting to get very excited. Thanks again!